Northwestern University Athletics
Sue Darling Named to Women's Basketball Staff
5/28/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
May 28, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. - Sue Darling, a 1983 Arizona graduate and former NCAA Division I head coach, was named to Northwestern women's basketball staff today by Wildcats' Head Coach June Olkowski. Darling replaces Sheila McMillen, who left to pursue other career options.
"Sue's experience, knowledge and reputation will help us in all phases," said Olkowski. "Sue's strengths fill our needs as a coaching staff, and her background of the game will be a huge asset to our program."
After taking last year off, Darling comes to Evanston after spending the previous three years as head coach of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Darling took over the Falcon program as the team and school transitioned itself from an NCAA Division II program to Division I. Her leadership and recruiting skills helped Air Force bring in higher caliber student-athletes, including two honorable mention All-Mountain West Conference players in 2001.
Before assuming command at Air Force, Darling spent a year with the American Basketball League's (ABL) Seattle Reign as an assistant. With the Reign, Darling's primary responsibilities included the scouting and evaluation of player personnel. She also coordinated strength and off-season conditioning programs.
Before entering the professional ranks, Darling was an assistant at Arizona State and Dartmouth. She spent a total of six seasons with the two schools, starting with the Sun Devils in 1990, where she recruited a District All-American. After one season with ASU, Darling went to Dartmouth. While at Dartmouth she served as the program's recruiting coordinator, as her 1993 recruiting class was named the best in the Ivy League by Blue Star Index. After two seasons with the Big Green, Darling went back to ASU. In her second stint with the Sun Devils, Darling recruited one all-conference selection, and a PAC-10 All-Freshman Team player.
After receiving her master's of business administration in marketing from St. John's University in 1988, Darling was head coach at Amphitheater High School in Tucson, Ariz., where she was voted the 1989 Arizona Coaches Association South All-Star coach. Darling also was named The Arizona Daily Star "Coach of the Year" in 1986 at Salpointe Catholic High School in Tucson.
Prior to receiving her bachelor of science in education from Arizona in 1983, Darling was a standout on the hardwood for the Wildcats, being named team captain for the 1981-82 season. That same season, she received Arizona's "Golden A Award" as the team's most valuable player.
